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How to Check if Secure Boot is Enabled or Disabled in Windows 8 and 8.1

Information

This tutorial will show you how to confirm if Secure Boot is enabled or disabled in your UEFI settings from inside Windows 8 and 8.1.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

Note

UEFI (replaces BIOS) has a firmware validation process, called secure boot, which is defined in Chapter 27 of the UEFI 2.3.1 specification. Secure boot defines how platform firmware manages security certificates, validation of firmware, and a definition of the interface (protocol) between firmware and the operating system. Secure boot prevents “unauthorized” operating systems and software from loading during the startup process.

Quick summary

UEFI allows firmware to implement a security policy

Secure boot is a UEFI protocol not a Windows 8 feature

UEFI secure boot is part of Windows 8 secured boot architecture

Windows 8 utilizes secure boot to ensure that the pre-OS environment is secure

Secure boot doesn’t “lock out” operating system loaders, but is a policy that allows firmware to validate authenticity of components

OEMs have the ability to customize their firmware to meet the needs of their customers by customizing the level of certificate and policy management on their platform

Microsoft does not mandate or control the settings on PC firmware that control or enable secured boot from any operating system other than Windows

So is the $64,000 question.. if W8 has secure boot on, then gets hosed... are all your bootable rescue CDs and USB keys useless? Or is there a basic strategy that still provides rootkit resistance while allowing system rescue?

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Great news for those wanting to run other OS'es on the new Surface 3 Pro - or simply access the firmware.
http://winsupersite.com/mobile-devices/surface-pro-3-tip-access-firmware
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I restored UEFI to default settings and after that I couldn't get into Windows anymore, I just get into UEFI all the time after every reboot. No Windows.
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Freeze with wlan-card disabled/enabledComputer: Samsung 530U, NP530U3C-A07SE
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